


Small Changes

by Rookmoon



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Absentmindedness, Concerned Friends, Crying, Diet Changes, Fluff, Food, Forgetting to eat, Friends to Lovers, Not Eating Disorder, Other, Unless I got it wrong then please let me know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 08:31:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16133543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rookmoon/pseuds/Rookmoon
Summary: Reader is too busy to eat, but the guys have other plans.





	Small Changes

     I never thought I would see the day when I would forget to eat. It just didn’t seem possible, but soon I realized that I get so focused on projects, and the things I need to do to keep myself mentally in check, I would forget. I wouldn’t do it on purpose. Just a few meals skipped here or there. No big deal. It’s when I would study for hours on end and my best friends, the ninja turtles, noticed that it got bad.

     They always look out for me. It doesn’t matter if I want them to or not, and that’s how it’s been for years.

     I was in the lair, having fun as usual, when April came in with a couple of steaming pizzas. The guys bolted right for her, but I was so wrapped up in my book that I didn’t want to eat. I wasn’t hungry anyway. Not like there wouldn’t be food later.

     Then again, these guys don’t do leftovers. Oh well. I’ll find something.

     That’s when Mikey first noticed. I was never one to turn down pizza with my pals. Mikey thought of something Splinter told him a long time ago. There’s something wrong with a dog that doesn’t eat… or something like that. He didn’t say anything, but he Raph saw him leave a plate with a couple of slices on the table next to me. Raph knew that Mikey wouldn’t leave pizza sitting out unless there was a reason for it.

     It wasn’t hard to put two and two together and realize that his brother was worried about me not eating. That’s when Raph started watching when I would come to the lair. He told himself he was looking out for my well being. Mikey would insist on me eating if he noticed me getting a little too into whatever I was working on. It was almost as bad as a couple years ago, when Donnie had decided that he was eating a little bit too much, and ended up eating so much at once that his stomach hurt for days.

     Now that Donnie was fine, years later, Raph was worried about me. I was just sitting on the couch on my laptop, typing out another paper. He didn’t know if this was a story I was writing for fun, or if it was a paper for work or what. Either way, I hadn’t moved from that spot all day, and they had eaten at least twice.

     Raph decided that he had had enough of watching me not eat. He got up, and everyone looked up. He looked pissed, and he drew lots of attention when he was pissed.

     “I’m sick of this.” He muttered. I looked up at him.

     “Is something wrong, Raph?”

     “Shell yeah, something’s wrong.” Raphael hissed, his arms crossed over his chest. He was making himself bigger, and if it was to intimidate me, it was working. “I’ve had enough of watching you not eat, Girlie.”

     “I eat plenty, Raph,” I scoff, trying not to openly stare at his muscular display, “Just cause you don’t see me do it doesn’t mean I don’t take care of myself.”

     “Oh yeah? Then why did Mikey leave pizza sitting right next to you for the last few days?” Raph demands. My eyes snap back to him as he continues, “Why aren’t you eating with us now? Why don’t we ever see you eat any more?”

     “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him?” I look at Mikey, who looks sad. “I’m not eating because I’m not hungry. I don’t eat that much anymore. I thought you knew.”

     “When was the last time you had something to eat.”

     “I had some cheese a couple of hours ago.”

     “An actual meal.” Raph’s eyes narrow, and I try to remember when my last meal was.

     “I think it was,” I look at the clock and count the hours on my fingers, “Maybe about eight hours ago.”

     Donnie looks up from his own project, Mikey gasps, and Leo stands up.

     “What?” Leo asks, “Why aren’t you eating?”

     “I am eating.” I insist, “I know my eating habits have changed a bit but I’ve got other things to take care of.”

     “Like what? Eating more?” Leo asks, “Why aren’t you eating?”

     I never knew that one sentence could get just about the entire Hamato family mad at me.

     Splinter stands, and looks at his sons. Raph growls, and sits himself down on the couch next to me, and Leo takes his seat with his brothers. Splinter stands in front of me.

     “You know, child, there are no reasons to refuse to eat,” He explains, “My sons and I care for you like family. We would hate to see you sick because of a lack in nutrition.”

     “I know, Splinter, but I don’t have the time to eat as much as I want. Not with all the appointments I need to keep, and the papers I need to write. I’ve got my editor, who wants a finished manuscript on his desk next month and I’m not even close to being done with the rough draft.”

     I set the laptop down, and try not to cry. It doesn’t work very well. I end up leaning on Raph who, surprisingly, lets me hug him and get tears all over him. Crying helps. It also helps that I have these wonderful people here, who care about my well being. They’ll help me through this, whether I want them to or not.

     After I’m done sobbing, I make myself eat something. I try to ignore the turtles and the rat watching me.

     I feel lighter after talking to them. Being on my own in New York isn’t exactly easy. I find myself spending more time with the guys. I noticed that they still watch and make sure that I’m eating enough.

     I found that none of the brothers were afraid to make me eat, even if they had to feed me themselves. That was embarrassing, but I got through it. Nothing too bad. All I had to lose was my dignity, and they didn’t give a damn about that.

     I found that Raph was watching me more closely. Finding any reason to be next to me.

     I didn’t think anything of it, until his brothers started nudging each other when they saw us sitting on the couch. Once, Donnie decided Mikey needed a new camera for taking pictures when he goes out. I saw a picture of me and Raph on a small space of clear wall less than a week later, and I knew that was a load of bull.

     I found more pictures posted around the lair. Mikey smiling wide with his brothers, and some of Splinter having fun with his sons. I found some more with me in them, but my favorite ones were the ones of me and Raph.

     Mikey only got one where we were both smiling. He stuck it to the wall with little heart magnets. I asked Donnie about it after I found that that particular picture had made it onto the metal and brick walls of their home.

     “I guess Mikey ships it.” Donnie’s small smile reveals nothing, but he looks at me and goes back to writing on the wall a little ways away.

     My face turns bright red. I have no words. How could Mikey tell that I like Raph. I mean, at this point, I don’t think I like him so much as slowly falling in love with that hot head.

     I didn’t see that Raph had heard his brother, and was planning on how he would let me know that Mikey wasn’t the only one who thought we should be a couple. As it turns out, everyone agreed that Raph and I should be together.

     Later that week, he confronted me about it in that brash way he faces things involving feelings. I was more than happy to let him know how I felt about the whole thing.

     Let me tell you. It feels good to know that the person I love will help me through anything. No matter how small it seems.

     Things are much better now. Raph and I are happy together, and I finished the manuscript and had it turned in on time. Thank god for my new family. I don’t know what I would do without them.

     Even if they still keep an eye on my eating habits. Just in case.

**Author's Note:**

> I know the end is a little rocky but I couldn't fix it. I'll take a look at it again later.


End file.
